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Pair proposes being W.Va. Democrat co-chairs

WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling lawyer Christopher Regan and Democrat Party vice chairman Belinda Biafore are joining forces and proposing state Democrats select them to co-chair the state party.

Members of the Democrats’ executive committee meet Saturday in Flatwoods to elect a successor to former chairman Larry Puccio. Puccio resigned Jan. 22 to take the job as chairman of Sen. Joe Manchin’s Country Roads political action committee.

Regan and Biafore were among four candidates expressing interest in becoming the next chairman, along with Charleston lawyers Nick Preservati and Rich Lindsay.

The executive committee received a joint letter from Regan and Biafore this week, informing them of their partnership and how they would combine Biafore’s years of political experience with Regan’s energy and new ideas.

“Belinda and I sat down, broke bread and spoke of what the future will bring to the party,” Regan said. “We determined a blend of experienced party leadership and new blood was the formula needed. … The party wants to make changes, but we’re not in the business of throwing the baby out with the bath water.”

Many in the party believe the party should embrace new leadership, and having a younger leader could be part of that, according to Regan.

“At the same time, there are a lot of great people in the party like Belinda whose experience, dedicated service and talents also need to be preserved and deployed,” he said. “I see this as satisfying the party as a whole with two people. The party wants both things we bring to the table.”

Biafore said the combination would be a plus for the Democrat Party.

“I have been around for awhile, and I have a foundation with party activists in each county,” she said. “It would not be like starting from scratch.”

She sees Regan as someone able to raise money for the party who also can convey the party message and bring in younger members.

The concept of having co-chairmen of the state party isn’t unprecedented. In 1996, executive committee members selected Pat Maroney and Steve White to be co-chairmen, and “this worked out quite well,” according to Biafore.

She said many have their own ideas on what direction the party now should take after decisive losses in the 2014 elections that saw Democrats lose control of both houses of the Legislature.

“Did we take a hit?” she said. “Yes, but I don’t blame it on one person. It was a wave that came through, and it affected the whole county. This was not unique to West Virginia. … This co-chairmanship is something this party needs. Our executive committees need a comfort level – someone who understands the system, but at the same time is able to bring young faces in. Our biggest struggle is bringing in young voters, and hopefully this will encourage young people to come into the party.”

Ohio County Commissioner Orphy Klempa, also co-chairman of the Ohio County Democrat Party, said the partnership between Regan and Biafore is “a good idea.”

“They bring two different perspectives, and that could be a valuable commodity and good for the state party,” he said.

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